A Conversation with Nina's Restaurant Owner: A Look Behind the Scenes

As we sat down to chat with Nina's restaurant owner, it was clear that this conversation would not be an easy one. The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, had a number of grievances with their brother Nino, who is also involved in the family business.

The conversation began with the owner expressing frustration with Nino's constant absence from the restaurant during peak hours. "I don't understand why you're not here for lunch and dinner," the owner said, exasperated. "My mom and I are constantly frustrated with Nino's doing everything half-bath and so Mike and I have to come in help the family." This sentiment was echoed by Nina, who had previously mentioned that she often finds herself working alone in the kitchen because there is no clear direction or leadership.

The owner also expressed concern about Nino's behavior in the office, where he often spends time watching TV instead of attending to business matters. "I get here some people you're working because nobody is here so you can say whatever you're doing right," the owner said sarcastically. However, when pressed for specific examples, the owner admitted that they didn't have any concrete evidence to support this claim.

Despite their frustrations with Nino's behavior, the owner acknowledged that he was a skilled salesman and did a great job promoting the business. "He spends a lot of time sitting down with customers... I mean not just visiting promoting the business," the owner said. However, they also noted that this came at the expense of other staff members who often found themselves shouldering the burden of responsibility.

One thing that became clear during our conversation was the issue of communication and leadership within the restaurant. The owner stated that there is no clear key person in charge of the kitchen, which can make it difficult for cooks and servers to know what they're supposed to be doing. "You need to be working in the kitchen when I worked here and Mike worked here... we jumped in the kitchen," the owner said.

The owner also discussed their own role within the restaurant, which involves cleaning and maintenance tasks. While these tasks are not glamorous, the owner took pride in keeping the restaurant clean and tidy. "I get here early... I do uh the remaining things as generator oil vacuuming cleaning of all these plates and cleaning the restroom scrubbing the toilets washing the patio," they explained.

Throughout our conversation, it was clear that the owner has a deep love for Nina's restaurant and is frustrated by the way it is being run. They expressed concern about Nino's behavior and lack of leadership, but also acknowledged his strengths as a salesman and promotional figure.

The owner also discussed their personal life, including their involvement in a recovery program and their family dynamics. "Coming from a pathological liar... that's what I think you're some kind of nut because I," they said, chuckling wryly. However, the owner took this comment in stride and moved on to discuss other topics.

Overall, our conversation with Nina's restaurant owner provided valuable insight into the inner workings of a family-owned business. While there were certainly challenges and frustrations, it was clear that the owner is deeply committed to the success of the restaurant and its customers.

As we concluded our conversation, the owner turned to us and said, "my honesty feeling is he doesn't do crap." This sentiment was echoed by Nina, who had previously expressed similar sentiments about Nino's behavior. While it's impossible to know for certain what's really going on behind the scenes at Nina's restaurant, one thing is clear: there are certainly some challenges that need to be addressed if the business is going to succeed in the long term.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: engood um let's catch up with you and okay yeah where should we go shall we nice to meet you nice to meet you yeah I hope they don't make an ass out of themselves one thing about Pete that I struggle with is his inability to change it is absolutely hindering things um so do you have the best pizza in Denver congratulations when did you receive that daily five so you had the best pizza in town since 1985. that's incredible I think I do well actually I don't think I do I I know I do where did you train in New York and there is a city with great pizzas yes yeah my mind is better okay okay great and you opened in 1985. March 10th of 85 it was Monday we opened up you know your day is well for an old boy an old boy you know an old boy is it like a Charming old man laughs that's right how Hands-On is this one completely completely still seven days a week uh no we're closed two days he closed two days a week why are you close on Sunday Sunday because I want to watch football are you nuts do you have any idea how many pizzas get ordered on a Sunday just in football season we did open that Sunday in 86. congratulations so how has that affected the business closed two days a week Sunday Monday nobody knows who are open I mean we're closed in the afternoon the Russian closes seriously because he has to have his nap yes if he's what nap Siesta sleep that's kind of a European thing that you know the Siesta deal Russian closes because P wants a nap yeah like they do in Greece in England too no no we don't close enough no you do any delivery um no wow yes plus there's another problem the other things you don't listen to anyone I mean you don't listen to me it's like if he starts doing something one way you can't get him off of it this is a princess and control it how old is Josh 33 and he must be geared up now to take over the business when you take a back seat somewhere well in terms of what's the plan is he the head chef now no no as long as I'm in here I am okay we're talking about pizzas right Denver's best pizza what the heck you laughing about well I'd expect Josh by now yeah literally five or six years at the helm why can't you let go I don't know why do you think you're gonna let go who knows for the last two years I've seen it on a downhill slide and now like a Tuesday night I might have two tables two tables I've seen it with no tables wow nearly 30 years of business have you put money away no no you can't retain no we got into trouble we refinanced our home two or three times crazy that's what I feel like wow so you started business together actually he wanted to start the business and asked me to come along with them at the time I had a flower shop so why would you leave the flower shop I thought I needed to help you know I thought it was the right thing so you've given up a lot to give this business afloat yes and where does your father sit in this throughout the years he's put his money into it how much longer can your father support it financially I don't think how much longer how much longer what's the problem with the Russian he is saying no that isn't that's the truth who's in charge here he says he is right but I'm here more often than here uh I wouldn't say that she's here more than me Chef I've been here in double probably what she's been here no you left me yeah there's a reason why I left oh you left the restrooms I I took my time away from the restaurant for a couple years a couple of years the situation between me and her just started really dissolving and I kind of decided to take a little Hiatus and why would you take time out I left because I didn't want to lose my sister forever because I was getting to that point that I would hate her but and Tina give you an insights to what happened when Dina left what what happened to the restaurants I mean I was here as much as I needed to be how many hours a week can you answer that she said she was here all the time it was 25 hours a week no I'm here you're not here when was the last night you worked it doesn't matter I'm here two months nine in the morning till four in the afternoon you're not here till 4 o'clock okay I'm here every day I'm here over the last six months you've been here every day 10 months and and I was here every day I lived here for 10 years you cannot open the restaurant without me truth right you probably could I mean I did in the beginning I just haven't done it for several years Chef I've tried Chef he's 10 years out there in that doorway and he does this to me when I've been working and calling me at the same time in the same building and I said right there like walk out and talk I was like crazy I'm just trying to get a hold of you now I'm dirty and I don't like coming out here with dirty clothes on and cooking clothes I don't like my Cooks to be out here okay so I'm gonna run upstairs when I could just motion to you to come back here that's just Insanity that drives you crazy there's a problem with something maybe someone's stable maybe a question yeah I just think it's annoying you want me to scream it across the room Tina can you come over here no I mean seriously you're upset at me because of that I can't believe that he won't walk in this dining room we don't even argue because we don't talk long enough to argue because you're not here how good is the food how would you rate it out of ten Nina ten a ten wow yes Korean I would have to rate it as a seven it says Michael what would you give the food I would give it an eight so the food's good that's great and what's your role I really don't work here all the time I had my own career right as my sister does I help out whenever my mom calls I'm Johnny on the spot you know the restroom's named after you what's your role the person has always been in charge was my dad and then when when he developed his Alzheimer's I stepped up in this business wow what do you mean I I get here early I do uh the remaining things as generator oil vacuuming cleaning of all these plates and cleaning the restroom scrubbing the toilets washing the patio that's just from eight until about four maybe weekends usually I'll come in for extensive cleaning sounds like you do a lot of cleaning cleaning talking about the restaurant take away the cleaning what else you do Karina um help me out there's no key person there's no one really directing the kitchen on how the portion should be how the quality needs to be consistent you know you need to be working in the kitchen when I worked here and Mike worked here we jumped in the kitchen they don't want me in there who the chefs the chefs chefs they're very adamant about keeping that kitchen to themselves it sounds like you put over a barrel now because like everybody's kind of running the restaurant I hope Nina was running it not really no that's not true but Nino's here Nino isn't here he's here at lunch so he doesn't run dinner are you here for dinner yes yes I don't understand why you're not here lunch and dinner it's something my mom and I are constantly frustrated with Nino's doing everything half bath and so Mike and I have to come in help the family wow this doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense irritates the crap out of me he spends a lot of time sitting down with customers I mean not just visiting promoting the business sitting down and talking for long periods of time in the middle of lunch and he's the only restaurant manager I think you'll find anywhere that has lunch at lunch time he spends a lot of time in the office watching TV this is not even true he's not here he's not here at eight in the morning when I get it right the television here is 40 years old and I have a high def at home with all the all the channels I need why wouldn't I just stay there I get here some people you're working because nobody is here so you can say whatever you're doing right stretching the truth it is not my brother never tells the truth coming from a pathological liar I take that as a compliment he thinks I'm some kind of nut because I I'm in a recovery program living in a fantasy world according to him no I think you're the greatest World by the way you act here my honesty feeling is he doesn't do crap here he does a lot of sick I'm talking he makes everybody believe he does crap just like last night that's not true Nino please can you join me talk Mr O was talking I see that all the time and that's why I kind of stay back from here because I love this damn restaurant and to see it just being run down drives me freaking crazy to my opinion he doesn't do crap my mom will admit it my dad let me know my sister admit it but I will come out and say it passionately doesn't do crap\n"